Packing his track with melting synth patterns, recurring sounds of demonic chimes, and viciously shuffling percussion, Viennese producer IZC proves he is not afraid to explore strange sounds with “Untitled,” a cut from his analog-centric Zig Zag EP. The loosely constructed production consistently evokes tension and a relentless feeling of dread, effectively showing off the artist’s capabilities in forging dark, ominous atmospheres. Before it drops in digital formats on April 21, the rest of IZC’s Zig Zag EP can be streamed in full after the jump.
(Derek Kaneko, XLR8R)

Release-of-the-month however, has to go to this 4 track EP from Viennese producer IZC. Mixing up influences from Techno, UK Funky, Detroit House and more, ‘Zig Zag’ delves into a world of killer sub hits, cold Grime rhythms and colder-still synth work. The title track acts as a highly accomplished and disorientating 4/4 heater, whilst the tension and immediacy of tracks like ‘Untitled’ and ‘Strings 2129’ are ready built for the dance. Add to that the slightest of warmth brought to proceedings via a stripped down hardware set-up, and you’ve got yourself something special for the heads-down camp.
(Louis Cook, Hyponik.com)

Austrian label disko404 get the honour of this latest release from dark techno producer IZC, his fifth EP since he debuted back on Dubsquare in 2008. He seems to get more malevolent with each record and this latest is pitch black, with cold, synth-driven dubstep on ‘Strings 2129’, an unnerving blend of 8-bit chips and drum ‘n’ bass on ‘Quizzical’ and queasy, crevasse-deep house on the title track. Guaranteed to test the mettle of your sound system, ‘Zig-Zag’ is a shot of future darkness that makes the chrome and smoke of Blade Runner seem like a tanning salon.
(Bleep.com)

Zig-Zag” starts off straightforwardly enough, but it’s a much weirder track than one might initially give IZC credit. Its beat grows more jerky and erratic while its weird detuned synth bobs to and fro without any bassline, sort of a mutant techno that owes as much to the off-kilter tinkerings of Mark Fell as it does to the dancefloor. It’s almost like an improvised sketch more than a polished track, but it all works surprisingly well. “Strings 2129″ has a staggered kick/clap combo that feels aligned with UK funky with a touch of halfbeat, but otherwise it feels like a slightly dark, slinky stripped down techno cut. “Quizzical” splits the difference between those sounds and more traditional, classic electro in its sonic palette, a sparse arrangement of pitched claps, low-end sub bass, techy blips and sawtooth stabs.
My favorite might be “Untitled,” the last of the four cuts. Its sparse arrangement, consisting primarily of syncopated hihats and deep sub bass booms and wobbly synth attack zaps and tuneless falls, is strangely compelling even after a more traditional rhythm section falls in place halfway through. There’s something just “off” about each of these cuts that makes it inherently lovable, like oddball studio outtakes or sketches that are imperfect and unique. Highly recommended for adventurous DJs or fans of leftfield dance music.
(Earinfluxion.com)

Earlier this month Viennese label Disko404 dropped its fifth release from hometown producer IZC, which is available digitally this week. The four-track ‘Zig Zag’ EP features a selection of raw, off the grid hardware productions that lurches between off-kilter techno and gnarled grime while maintaining a bleary-eyed swagger throughout.
Utilising a severely stripped back palette of sounds across the EP, IZC’s productions are uncompromising in their approach. On the A side, the titular track offsets a twisted, stuttering rhythm against a woozy arc of synths to disorienting and hypnotic effect. On the flip, IZC then takes this intensity and applies it to the taut grime structures of ‘Strings 2129’ and ‘Quizzical’. Finishing with digital-only bonus track ‘Untitled’, IZC lays out a sprawling spray of etherised synths over skeletal percussion that forms in fits and starts to relieve the building tension.
You can grab a free download of ‘Untitled’ via XLR8R and the full EP is available from all the usual places.
(Sam Elsewhere, Liminalsounds.com)

On “Poison Will Be Hidden”, Rer Repeter delivers three bass-heavy Dub House tracks with a 2-Step twist. Far from being a newcomer to the label, he was already one half of El Rakkas. This time around, however, Rer Repeter cut down the BPM and trimmed his basslines for the advanced house floor, yet preserving his raw and minimalist sound trademark.

When the Elevate Festival in Graz started out in 2005, only few would have foreseen a development towards one of the most prolific and interesting events of its kind worldwide. However, that’s exactly what it has become, combining political discussion with a cutting edge music programme – something you wont find elsewhere.Elevate Festival 2013: Oct 23 – 27 in Graz

This year’s programme features a wide palette of artists such as Jon Hopkins (Domino Records, on the opening night on Wednesday) Cut Hands (Blackest Ever Black, No Wave/Industrial Floor on Friday), Dance Mania’s Lil Louis (House Floor on Saturday) alongside yet undiscovered local and international talent. Like already in the past years, the festival has invited artists to curate a stage, this year Dorian Concept (who invited, among others Daedelus from Ninja Tune) and New York’s L.I.E.S. Records (which should guarantee a wicked acid techno experience, yeah!). Furthermore, we’ve got Peverelist on the UK Bass Floor on Saturday, presenting his Livity Sounds project, drone specialists such as Pharmacon as well as Dubsquare very own Rer Repeter and Die Hand, performing on Saturday at the Dungeon and on Friday at the L.I.E.S. Tunnel respectively. Don’t sleep!

Furthermore, there will be plenty of discussions, pannels and workshops on the topic of open source, with a strong focus on the recent revelations by Edward Snowden and Wikileaks. And as far as the music talks are concerned, two discussions will also include Dubsquare, that is a discussion on Feminism and the dance music scene with Electric Indigo and DJ Marcelle on Thursday (8.15pm at the basement of the festival center at Forum Stadtpark) and a pannel on techno and politics with Move D and Tina 303 on Saturday (8.15pm same place). Tight schedule, innit? Ha!